Episode 680: Trouble

A lot of women would have drooled right then and there, but there was only one guy Adria wanted and this wasn’t him. This was about clearing her conscience. What if she’d misread things? What if she’d cost this talented guy his job over nothing? Over a misrepresentation?

But if Dustin wanted her to interpret things the right way, he shouldn’t have given her his address and told her to stop by any time day or night. That invitation had screamed of one thing. So, when he opened the door to her like that, half-naked, Adria didn’t waste time setting him straight, just in case.

"Don’t get any ideas about me showing up here," she warned, wondering if maybe she should have brought her husband Ryley along for back-up or whatever.

"I’ve never had ideas about you," Dustin claimed, taking a long drag off his cigarette. "Did you ever think you like yourself a little too much Adria?"

"No," she whispered.

"No, you just think you’re such hot stuff that I couldn’t possibly have hired you for honorable reasons."

"It seemed more likely. I used to think I was a really good actress, like maybe one day I could be among the best." Adria frowned, missing those days of confidence. "But my parents didn’t want me to be an actress, they did things, especially my dad did things that left me doubting myself, and maybe led me to misjudge your interest in me. Maybe."

"Your dad’s been a huge help to my career, too," Dustin said.

"He and my husband were trying to protect me."

"There was no need to protect you," he said, his exasperation more than apparent.

Adria shrugged, still unsure of him, but aware she might be wrong, aware it wasn’t fair to him if this was all her insecurities, her inability to trust in her talent the way she used to. "I came here to offer to make this right. If you want, I’ll talk to my dad. I’ll have him get the production up and running again, with you at the helm."

Episode 681: Fool?